Ryūketsu Ōtamu
Ryūketsu Ōtamu is the Leader Hantā in the Children of Izanami Hell Raising Arc. He also was transformed by his master, Bōkyaku, who later handed complete control of his current bretheren before pleding his allegience to his newest master, Yashin Shiyōnin. Appearance: Ryūketsu is the most decievingly human looking Hantā, having a lithe smooth build underneath his civilian preferred garbs, his Zanpakuto is the only thing that displays any sense in unusual abnormality. Upon his forehead underneath his bangs lies his tattoo, located on both sides of his head, showing which Demon he swears loyalty to, as well as the sign of a Hantā. He prefers to wear a light beige jacket with a hood, with a dark colored shirt underneath, a ornate belt buckle adds another oddity to his appearance, but only a minor one, as well as faded blue jeans and sneaker tennis shoes. Its been said that due to his personality and composed nature, he's been often the most selected of the Hantā to patrol in the World of the Living or preform scouting or recon missions for his master. Ryūketsu's darker manifestation appears in a dark black-red cloak that borders on the trappings of a Soul Reaper mingled in with that of a cultist. With a cowl that he can don at any time to cover most of his visage and long billowing sleeves with a comfortable kosode and hakama-skirt appearance with a flowing cloak that flourishes around him, Ryūketsu embodies a much darker persona when donning this appearance. Personality: Although it seems he's masking a twisted side of himself like his partner, Jaaku is, he's very much static in personality, rarely changing his moods or disposition, despite the outcome or situation he is in. Very much a stoic, calm, assertive individual, he assesses every situation with meticulous calculations and strategically places every plan with back-up plans, planning for the worse. He speaks very eloquently, and politely, being by far the most 'gentleman'-like persona of the Hantās. Just by raising and lowering his voice, the twitching or narrowing of his eyes, or the intensity of his Spiritual Pressure output, he relies very little in emotional outbursts or outward shocks, only seen to laugh very few times nor get upset at anything. He's also a good judge of character, as well as highly informed of organizations, individuals, and techniques, especially their uses and comings-and-goings due to his extensive scouting and recon missions he's been involved in, so if he knows someone as if he read them up in a Bio-sheet, its probably either that he met them in a passing-by or that he had spied on them, one time or another. Ryūketsu later on revealed he has a very passionate, if not vengeful side of himself, a byproduct of the base instincts of his Zanpakuto's will to punish and avenge others. When Braeburn began goading him during the battle for Harbinger within Hell, Ryūketsu became so irate that he became outright determined to kill the Aussie, revealing his Zanpakuto's true form and putting his incredible skills to the test against the superb swordsman. Later on, Ryūketsu is seen respecting his master's word and orders directly, unlike the wayward and sometimes drifting loyalty of the other Hantā. By inheriting the dominance over the Hantā Bokyaku created, Ryūketsu took on a more stoic and behind the scenes role, having a complete and utter command over his formerly equal compatriots. Ryūketsu is also seen to be cold, and unforgiving as his unprovoked attack against Rana Zolinder showed no hint of remorse or regret in picking a fight with such a gifted adversary nor to what his new master did to her. Ryūketsu's more manical side takes over during incredible or ridiculous situations in which he is faced with a divine revelation that shakes all conscious logic and overrides rational thought. His most darkest side shortly takes over, as his eyes shift to red and his desire to kill, maim, and murder becomes at its most highest. In a sense, this is Ryūketsu's "True Self", a saying most Inner Hollows would claim that is eerily similar to Ryūketsu's bloodthirsty, ruthless persona. Synopsis: 'Children of Izanami' 'One-Shots' 'The War of Four' Affiliations: History: Under construction... Powers/Abilities: Incredible Spiritual Power: Ryūketsu has enhanced Spiritual Energy since his transformation into a Hantā, having enormous reserves capable matching easily a single Experienced Captain Class Soul Reaper, able to output or cloak his Spiritual Pressure with ease. When exposed to his Spiritual Pressure, anyone caught in it could describe it as a whirwind, blazing around you before forcing you onto your knees, draining the air out of your lungs, its potency can be fatal to lower seated Officers, straining to Lieutenants of any caliber, and noticed by a Captain Class Soul Reaper. This has been further enhanced since his time, as his true worth shows a man of indominatable power, capable of producing shockwaves that stretch out for miles when fully exerting his fullest power. Zanjutsu Master: One of the foremost skilled of the group in swordsmanship, he is highly capable to hold his own due to experience and innate ability, to hold his own against high level opponents to a near equal term. Styling more of a mix between Kenjutsu and Fencing, he can interchange between the two styles easily, using quick rapid strikes along with a few powerful sword strokes, always keeping the enemy guessing and keeping himself at arm's reach from his opponent. It is later seen that Ryūketsu has a untold sense and knowledge of some of the most ancient sword styles, as he is revealed when fighting Angelika Hartmann he had learned the forgotten Zanjutsu style, Seijo Neya. Hand-to-hand Specialist: While not the foremost skilled of the group, he has great skill in the art of both a form of Martial Arts, and boxing, able to fight toe-to-toe with highly skilled Hakuda practictioners with relative ease and dexterity. He is fully able to initiate powerful thrusts and jabs as well as blindlingly fast strikes. Enhanced Strength: A being of great strength, Ryūketsu is able to land powerful strikes that would send even a 11th Division Captain flying for a good 100 meters, able to even use the classic 'spear hand stabbing' maneuver, using his incredible strength to stab his hands into beings of lower caliber Spiritual Power, or crush the equivalent of a Kushanada's skull in a single kick. Enhanced Endurance: Able to withstand amazing punishment, as well as continue fighting while injured, Ryūketsu is a being who can shake off many hits and wounds that would shirk a normal being, or even recover from potentially fatal injuries that would fell even a Junior-Class Captain Soul Reaper. ''Kurai Geijutsu ''(Lit Translation, "Dark Arts."): An unknown variant of spells learned from their master, it resembles a dark form of Kidō, Ryūketsu is able to use it with poise and quick succession within each other, being a powerful counter against high caliber Kidō and Zanpakuto abilities. Kido Master: Upon revealing in the Hell Raising Arc when fighting multiple opponents simultaneously, he was able to project a non-incantation Kido Spell of level 80 with ease and speed, able to counter a technique that was said near unstoppable and of frightening speed. Due to his previous past as a Soul Reaper imposter, its supposed that he knows a great deal more about Soul Reaper techniques than what was originally conceived. Bakudo #91, Kokushokuhatsu Chakushin Kiseimon (黒色発着信規制門''Burakku-hatsu chakushin kisei gēto'', Lit Translation, "Barring Black Gate,"): This is a level 90's Bakudo utilized by Ryuketsu to defend against Senju Saimon Taiho, a level 90's Hado. This large, gargantuan barrier is comprised of two large black obsidian towers, pulling up dozens of thick spiked chains up a large black obsidian gate with markings and symbols written in Kanji 'Forbidden' and 'Repel' on it, the width of the structure alone is about 30 meters while the height is of 50 meters, by far one of the largest solid Bakudo Barriers known within the Gotei 13. This barrier has enough strength to repel a Level 90 Hado without much damage, though it takes many years to make it applicable and practical to use within combat. High Intellect/Analytical Strategist: He is seen to have a high amount of intelligence, a individual who reviews all the facts, theories, and tactics on confrontations and negotiations, seen as the most diplomatic and capable in intelligence out of all the Hantā underneath himself. Equipment/Paraphenilia: Shinsei Fūin (Lit. Translation, "Deity Seal."): Given specially by his master for his mission to capture the Punisher, its a specially designed tattoo emblazoned on one's hand fully able to bind a powerful Deity, even Captain Class Soul Reapers or Espada Class Arrancars would have near impossibility in freeing themselves from. Activated by tactile placement, the tatoo removes itself from the hand of the practitioner and takes a second or two to crawl onto the targeted. Once scorched painfully onto the targeted, it will totally restrain the target until total paralysis sets in, while also imbuing terrible pain along with it. The flaw with the technique, is that the point of placement can be easily broken if a person versed high enough spiritual energy manipulation, could instill enough chaotic energy to shatter the seal and harmlessly release the targeted. Chains: Retaining the Sinner ability to wield his own Hell's chains, he can use them with deft ability, allowing him to use them as a rapid formed shield, an unsuspecting sneak attack weapon, or a good counter to enemy weapons. Zanpakutō: Shūnenbukai '(執念深い'' Shuunenbukai ; Jap Translation, "''Vindictive."''): Shūnenbukai's sealed form has the appearance of that of a standard Katana, with a few unique details to its appearance. It has a black hilt with a silver pommel, a square black enamored guard matching the black sheathe, either attached to his belt on his left hip, or strung across his back diagonally to his right. Its blade is 4 1/2 feet long, a standard katana edge. '''Shikai Form: When spoken the Release Command, "Punish," Ryūketsu's blade glows, traveling up the Zanpakutō, changing its shape from a Katana, to that of a round-bell pommel, brown threaded hilt, cross-shaped guard, and a long european styled blade, reaching up to 5 feet in length, showing a number of enamorings along the body of the blade shown to be in Latin language. Passive Abilities: Shūnenbukai is a capable, sharp blade that has a heightened cutting/penetrative power along with a number of mentally chosen poisons of many sorts, capable of being changed with a simple adaptation of Spiritual Power along its edge. Baindo Kugyō (バインド苦行, baindo kugyou; Jap Lit Translation, "Bound Penance."): This technique allows Ryūketsu to manifest barbed-chains that are linked either to the pommel or the blade itself through a transparent link, before slashing and binding an opponent. Once scratched, the target's body will immediately begin to lose all sensation and feeling in a certain area of the body. The more deeply or widespread the cuts are, the more numbness it spreads. These chains can also be used to ensare enemy weapons or shred an enemy to pieces, if wished by Ryūketsu. Mostly as a way to incapacitate an opponent or prepare them for the final blow, its only weakness is raw Spirit Power being detonated at its links. Kogasu (焦がす, kogasu; Jap Lit Translation, "Sear."): The technique in where the human's nerves turn on themselves, Kogasu is initialized by a simple strike of the blade making contact with the skin. Not needing to actually break skin, Kogasu can project the most immense, incapacitating pain into the body. Capable of producing affects like cardiac arrest, nausea, and muscular contractions, any point of the body being struck could be near-fatal to an opponent if not incredibly painful to those with a strong will and tolerance for pain. Zainin Hitsugi (罪人ひつぎ zainin hitsugi; Jap Lit Translation, "Sinner's Coffin."): Another of Shūnenbukai's more elaborate techniques. This can be employed by a simple stabbing movement in the ground from which a various-sized coffin will rise from the ground before sealing itself with the target inside. Made of incredibly dense Spiritual Energy, it'd take nothing less but a Captain-class raw power to release from its holds. Once inside, Zainin Hitsugi activates and a series of serrated, pain-inflicting blades discharge towards the target within, squewering it repeatedly. If Ryūketsu is feeling particularly brutal, he can willfully detonate the interior of the coffin with blazing flames with enough force to severely injur a Captain-class entity and nearly kill a Lieutenant instaneously. Bankai: Fuhen Setsujoku (不変雪辱, fuhen setsujoku; Jap Lit Translation, "Eternal Vindication,"): Fuhen Setsujoku takes upon the form of a Clad-Type Bankai. With a armor-like apparatus that covers his form makes him truly look like that of a walking convict, with metalic spikes and studs surrounding his whole body, with blood-red trappings sewn within the gaps of the metal armor and boots. He spawns a serrated sword at his side, with the same runes engraved in the previous blade, with the exception of a elongated barbed chain attached to the pommel of his sword. Monstrous Spiritual Power: Ryūketsu's Spiritual Power skyrockets at an incredible rate at this point. Due to the fact that Ryūketsu has spent hundreds of years mastering his Bankai, its Energies can sustain themselves indefinitely while leaving plenty of Spiritual Energy to project and sustain heightened battles for an indefinite amount of time whereas other Bankai practitioners could only go fighting at their peak for a limited amount of time. The special passive trait about Ryūketsu's Bankai allows his strength to get stronger to the point of warping space around himself, the longer and more violent the battle itself becomes. Its power is so electrifying, Ryūketsu has said it, "Soothes the Pain Within my Soul..." Enhanced Shikai Abilities: All of the abilities Ryūketsu once employed in Shikai are now at an even higher peak. Whereas Kogasu could cause instaneous death, it purposely elongates the enemy's suffering to the brink of desiring unconscioussness, but instead overrides the subconscious from slipping into that state until the brain itself hemorrhages from the shock. Baindo Kugyō's chains can number in the hundreds to thousands, each of them having the tensile strength to crush an enemy to a bloody shredded pulp, while combined around a bigger target can crush something as large as half the mass of a skyscraper. Zainin Hitsugi becomes a box that holds a torturous dimension, filled with countless forms of pain and suffering at Ryūketsu's choosing. Enhanced Physical Attributes: Fuhen Setsujoku magnifies Ryūketsu's physical prowess from its former heights to an even higher plane of ascension. Capable of cause ungodly feats of crushing force behind his strikes while also moving at speeds envied by Fast-Movement practitioners while surpassing most. Capable of surviving some of the most hurrendous damage inflicting forces as well as keep fighting at an optimum capacity, enhancing Ryūketsu's swordplay as well as his hand-to-hand combat. Ryūketsu displayed this by taking a blow from a Shikai-state Ice-type Zanpakutō as well as shatter another Shikai-state Wind-type Zanpakutō, before finally delivering a headbutt with such incredible strength, that it created a air pocket to snap and propel his enemy into the ground with mosntrous strength, all of this upon just initial release of his Bankai. Kurushimi (苦しみ kurushimi; Jap Lit Translation, "Pain."): The main based ability of Ryūketsu in his Fuhen Setsujoku form is an incredible maschostic one: The more pain inflicted upon himself, the stronger his being and Spirit becomes. This becomes core for nearly everything that Ryūketsu personifies, as well as his Zanpakutō. Having endured a Hellish existence within the Underworld before becoming a Hantā, Ryūketsu's anguish and suffering while due to the Punisher's infliction for his "Sins", Ryūketsu embodied Vindication '''itself, justifying his Hellish existence if only to punish others and make them feel the same suffering he has. Thus any time he feels pain from his enemies, Ryūketsu becomes stronger, faster, and more powerful than before. This makes Ryūketsu's Bankai the most feared of all the '''Hantā, if not any lower-class Tsumikami in existence. Kurushimeru (苦しめる kurushimeru; Jap Lit Translation, "Painful Infliction."): This is an ability Ryūketsu gained when donning Fuhen Setsujoku's properties. Ryūketsu can send shocking tendrils of electrical energies towards his enemies that have the capabilities to char and shatter reinforced armor plating as well as Bankai-reinforced protective techniques. But its true ability lies in what happens when living entities come in contact with its electrical properites. Once induced, a painful agonizing ribbon of overloading quantities of Spirit Energy enters the body and overloads all nerve centers with the most torturous sensations they'd ever feel, keeping them on the verge of consciousness if only to lengthen their suffering. Behind the scenes/Trivia: *Ryūketsu's Physical Appearance is based on the hit Anime series DeathNote character, Light Yagami aka Kira. *Ryūketsu's Fuhen Setsujoku's Appearance and base powers are based on the Marvel Comics character, Penance. Quote(s):